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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24264553">Racing Toward Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyLiliy/pseuds/GreyLiliy'>GreyLiliy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cars (Pixar Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Human, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Humanized Cars (Pixar Movies), Light Angst, Pining, Romance, Sexual Content</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:08:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,782</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24264553</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyLiliy/pseuds/GreyLiliy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cruz had learned her lesson when it came to letting chances pass her by. The day Sally Carrera broke things off with Lightning McQueen, Cruz has a chance to be with a man she’d adored for as long as she could remember.</p><p>And she was going to take it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lightning McQueen/Cruz Ramirez, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The Cars franchise has been calling to me. I am a long time fan, but never got around to writing for the series. Over the years, lots of topics called to me (Something with Francesco or Mater because I love Cars 2, maybe some Lightning &amp; Doc, and other topics), but Cruz &amp; Lightning hit me in the face during Cars 3. Straight up decked me with feelings.</p><p>I shipped it. A lot. As Mentor x Student. Friends. Romantic. All of it. I just loved their onscreen chemistry and relationship, especially from the Demo Derby onward. *hugs them*</p><p>I love these two characters and they’ve finally been yelling at me loud enough to write something for them. :P So here’s a step into the Cars fandom with a little Cruz x Lightning Human AU (Because it’s easier to pretend that Blue Paint Job at the end of the film never happened—I love McQueen loves Doc but no…just no.). Thank you for reading &amp; enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Older guys were not her thing.</p><p>Men old enough to be Cruz’s father took an interest when they wanted one thing: Her body. There was the occasional exception, but Cruz did not often reciprocate, or found it didn’t work after one date.</p><p>She felt that age gap and couldn’t find it in herself to cross it.</p><p>Then Mr. McQueen strolled into her life.</p><p>Her favorite racer and hero. A man she looked up to and respected, who in his early forties—old enough to be Cruz’s father—was still as hot as the red and gold paint that splashed across his race car.</p><p>Whose first impressions of Cruz were not “Nice Ass” or “Pretty face,” but “Impressed with her speed” and “Great attitude!”</p><p>Mr. McQueen had her interest.</p><p>“He is too old for you,” Cruz had whispered to herself when it first set in that she was going to be his trainer. “And taken.”</p><p>But still handsome.</p><p>Despite his frustration and anger issues, Mr. McQueen genuinely loved racing and attempted to respect Cruz at her profession, even at his most aggravated.</p><p>She may have gone overboard telling herself over and over that the man was too old for her. Cruz had shoved Mr. McQueen into the category of “grandfather-aged” over his actual “middle-aged” in an attempt to put him out of reach as her teenage crush resurfaced.</p><p>In hindsight, she could see why Mr. McQueen had been at the edge of his patience during those first days at the training center and overly eager to prove he “still had it.”</p><p>But despite her self mantras to remind herself he was “old,” she still saw that handsome face that once adorned posters on her teenage walls. A few wrinkles around the eyes and greying hair couldn’t take away the charm of a world class racer who’d had charisma dripping from him the second he appeared on camera during his debut.</p><p>Cruz kept it under control, however.</p><p>She reminded herself he was too old.</p><p>That he was taken.</p><p>She was his trainer—It’d be unprofessional to act any other way or to treat him as anything other than her client, like the other racers at the training center.</p><p>But one training adventure, one demolition derby, one heartfelt confession, one apology from Mr. McQueen, one heartfelt stop in an old town, and two races won later turned Cruz from trainer into racer.</p><p>With Mr. McQueen as her Crew Chief.</p><p>Even her teenage fantasies hadn’t been able to come up with something so amazing. Cruz got a second chance. A real chance.</p><p>She was a racer.</p><p>A good racer.</p><p>And Mr. McQueen…wasn’t as old as she liked to tell herself.</p><p>The way he smiled at her—his entire face brightening with full teeth and wrinkled eyes—made her heart speed up. Mr. McQueen’s hugs were warm. His hands large. His pride in Cruz made her dizzy.</p><p>She wanted more.</p><p>Cruz wanted him in her house. She wanted to make him breakfast and see what he could make for dinner. Cruz wanted to race him on the track every day for practice and end each session in the backseat of his car one day and hers the next. She wanted him in her bed at night so she could see him wake up the next morning.</p><p>She wanted all of him.</p><p>The day Sally Carrera broke things off with Lightning McQueen, Cruz had a chance.</p><p>And she was going to take it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And now the story proper begins! I always have mixed feelings about Prologues, but I have a hard time killing my darlings and they’re nice for set up. :P</p><p>Thank you again for reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Looking good, Cruz!” Mr. McQueen shouted from the pit. He looked at the screen on his tablet, reading her speed numbers that Hamilton provided. His smile stretched and he stuck the tablet under his arm as he trotted to the side of her car. “You broke your record.”</p><p>“Really?” Cruz asked. She popped open the door and took the tablet from him. There in big bold letters was her time with a solid five seconds cut from her best time. “Those new tires made all the difference.”</p><p>“Guido and Luigi know their stuff,” Mr. McQueen said. “Though I’m sure you taking those corners better helped, too. The tires wouldn’t matter much if you hadn’t been practicing your turns, too.”</p><p>Proud eyes looked her way and Cruz looked at the tablet screen and counted in her head.</p><p>Two months was enough time to wait before asking someone out after a breakup, right?</p><p>“Are you busy tonight, Mr. McQueen?” Cruz asked, testing the waters. It’d be easier if it wasn’t a date at first. She closed her car door and leaned against it, holding the tablet to her chest. “We should celebrate my progress and go out. There’s a restaurant just outside of town I’ve been meaning to show you, anyway!”</p><p>Mr. McQueen glanced at his watch before shoving his hands into his pockets. “Sure, I’ve got time.”</p><p>“Have an appointment later?” Cruz asked, pointing at the watch she got him for his birthday last year. He wore it every day and she got a thrill out of knowing Mr. McQueen liked something that she had bought him. “I saw that time check.”</p><p>“Just seeing how late it is,” Mr. McQueen said. He snorted and smacked the side of her car as he walked back to the pit to get his things. “Mater wants to go parts hunting first thing tomorrow morning and talked me into going. You know this old man needs his beauty sleep, so we can’t stay out too late, okay?”</p><p>“Sure,” Cruz said. Baby steps. Racing was speed, aggression, and confidence. Dating required that last part, but the first two could throw everything off course. Cruz had waited too long to rush. “A quick dinner it is, old man.”</p><p>“Ouch,” Mr. McQueen said, holding his chest. “I know I said it first, but it hurts coming from you.”</p><p>“Whatever you say, Mr. McQueen.”</p><p>Cruz hopped into her car and drove it off the track to park. Dinner alone! She held in the delight as she secured her vehicle and grabbed her things. Cruz fished her phone out of her bag and sent Mr. McQueen a text saying she’d meet him out front after she changed back into her clothes.</p><p>“What a time to leave your nice clothes at home,” Cruz muttered as she tugged on her shirt and jeans. How was she to know she’d break a record at practice and create an opportunity? “Can’t be helped now.”</p><p>Mr. McQueen was on the phone with Mater when she joined him at the front of the training center.</p><p>“I will see you tomorrow morning, good night.” Mr. McQueen hunt up the call and replaced the phone in his pocket. He shrugged at Cruz and asked, “Ready to go?”</p><p>“Yup!” Cruz jingled her keys. “Do you want to ride together?”</p><p>“Why not?” Mr. McQueen agreed and followed her to her more sensible ride. He slid into the passenger side without complaint, holding onto the ceiling handhold. Cruz pulled out of the parking lot and hit the freeway. Twenty minutes into the drive, Mr. McQueen asked, “What sort of restaurant is it?”</p><p>“Italian.”</p><p>“No! You pull over right now,” Mr. McQueen said. His face paled and he put his hand on the dash as he turned toward Cruz. “I can not go to an Italian restaurant without Luigi and Guido’s stamp of approval. They will never let me live it down.”</p><p>Cruz laughed and sped up a few miles to pass a slower car in front. “Nope! It is too late now, Mr. McQueen. We are living on the edge tonight!”</p><p>Mr. McQueen did not share her glee. He shouted, “Cruz!” followed by a string of light cursing, but it did nothing to drop her speed or choice of destination.</p><hr/><p>“You think you’re funny, don’t you?” Mr. McQueen said, sticking his fork into an enchilada. “I really thought Luigi and Guido were going to attack me in my sleep for eating non-approved Italian food.”</p><p>“It was funny when I promised to send them photos of our meal for the adrenaline rush,” Cruz said. She dipped a chip in the shared guacamole and crunched down. It wasn’t as good as her grandma used to make, but it wasn’t bad. She reached over and patted Mr. McQueen’s arm. “Don’t worry, sir. I value your life too much to risk the wrath of our pit crew.”</p><p>“You still think you’re joking, but I’d rather drive in a thousand demolition derbies before I cross Guido.” Mr. McQueen’s stern face morphed into a small, sly grin as he leaned back in his seat. “But I will admit, you got me good.”</p><p>“I have to keep you on your toes somehow.” Cruz sipped her water and watched the man across from her. Thanks to fate, they’d been seated in the back corner of the dim restaurant. Candlelight from the wall lit their faces and set the perfect atmosphere for a date. It wasn’t an official one, but—one step at a time. No need to race. “Is the food good?”</p><p>“Great,” Mr. McQueen said. His empty plate backed up his statement. “I’m glad you found this little mom-and-pop place. We’ll have to come back with the crew.”</p><p>Or just the two of them.</p><p>Cruz paid for the meal, after an obligatory battle for the check that she won by pointing out it was her pick and her treat, and they left the restaurant full and with smiles. Cruz wished she could talk him into a walk or a long drive, but his first words out of the restaurant were “I’m glad we didn’t have to wait to eat, or we’d be getting back late with traffic.”</p><p>The “old man” needed his beauty sleep.</p><p>“Thanks for dinner, Cruz,” Mr. McQueen said after she dropped him off at the training center to retrieve his car. “Though I’m still not sure why you paid for your own celebration dinner.”</p><p>“Don’t be a sore loser, Mr. McQueen.” Cruz wrapped her arms around the steering wheel and smiled. “Have fun with Mater tomorrow.”</p><p>“I’ll be sure to send you texts at the crack of dawn to show off his finds.”</p><p>Cruz wanted to see them.</p><p>Her smitten mind loved the thought of getting an early morning text and knowing she was the first person Mr. McQueen thought of to show the trinkets and car parts they pulled out of a scrap yard.</p><p>She watched Mr. McQueen stroll back to his car and slide into his seat with ease. He’d retired from racing, but his love of driving and cars had never left. She squeezed her wheel and rested her forehead on her arms.</p><p>Mr. McQueen had been gone from the parking lot for five minutes before Cruz started her car and followed his lead to go home.</p><p>“Small steps aren’t enough,” Cruz said, licking her lips. She wanted more. More dates. More smiles. She wanted to take that man home. “You’re going to have to pick up the pace, girl.”</p><p>Cruz pulled into her driveway and made plans late into the night.</p><hr/><p>The promised text came at six-thirty in the morning.</p><p>Cruz groaned as she turned over under her sheets, her hand smacking the side-table for the buzzing phone. Her late night planning session had come up with nothing but a lack of sleep. She tugged it under the sheets and squinted at the bright screen until she dimmed it to an acceptable level.</p><p>In her messages sat six photos of Mr. McQueen and Mater in a junk yard with a pink skyline behind them as the sun rose. Each shot had the two men showing off a rare car part, some covered in rust and useless, and others she knew Mater could fix up.</p><p>“Time to get up, Cruz! The day is wasting!” his message read, followed by three smiley face emoji.</p><p>Exactly the sort of thing she expected from a man that sang her an apology song from the back of a trailer.</p><p>She clicked one of Mr. McQueen’s selfies and enlarged it, filling the screen with his amused and teasing face.</p><p>“I’m going to ask him out,” Cruz whispered to the screen. “You better be ready, Mr. McQueen.”</p><p>Cruz had waited for her chance long enough.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ms. Cruz has decided to get his romance moving. She knows this fic doesn’t want to be too long, so she’s pushing the plot.</p><p>Cruz gets what Cruz wants. Thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The breakup between Sally Carrera and Lightning McQueen had been amicable.</p><p>They were still friends. They still met up to see each other at least twice a month. Sally still called Mr. McQueen “Stickers.”</p><p>No one knew why they had called things off, but it hadn’t appeared to have damaged their friendship.</p><p>Cruz kept that in mind as she applied a new coat of lipstick in the changing room. She had brought a cute outfit to change into and a bit of product to style her hair just right. The breakup hadn’t been long ago, but as long as it’d been on good terms, that was all the more reason that Mr. McQueen could afford to start looking again for romance.</p><p>She didn’t need to dress herself up to ask him out, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt.</p><p>If all else failed, it would reinforce that she was serious.</p><p>Cruz packed up her makeup and grabbed her bag. She flung it over her shoulder as she left the changing room and headed back into the main training area. A few heads turned her way as she passed, but Cruz was only looking for one racer.</p><p>She found Lightning McQueen in the gym running on a treadmill. Sweat ran down his brow and neck, but he kept pace. He’d been retired for a year, but Mr. McQueen did his best to stay in shape.</p><p>“Fluffy clouds,” Cruz whispered under her breath. “You can do this.”</p><p>Cruz approached the treadmill and set the bag on the floor. Mr. McQueen noticed her and tugged out his headphones. She heard a soft country tune playing through the speakers and it made her smile.</p><p>“Someone’s dressed up,” Mr. McQueen said, grinning as he continued to run while looking at her. “Got a hot date tonight or something?”</p><p>“Not yet,” Cruz said. She tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “I haven’t asked him out yet.”</p><p>“He’d be a fool to say no,” Mr. McQueen said. He gave Cruz a thumbs up and a grin. “Good luck with Mr. Lucky!”</p><p>Cruz snorted and shook her head. “I wish I had your confidence, but I’m not quite sure he’s going to say yes.”</p><p>“That so?”</p><p>“He’s older than me, which might be a sticking point,” Cruz said, looking Mr. McQueen in the eye. He turned the treadmill off and hopped on the sides as it slowed under him. She glanced around the gym, noting that they were alone for the moment. No better time than the present. “We work together, too, which could also complicate things.”</p><p>“Not always, but it can,” Mr. McQueen said, voice soft. He hadn’t put it together just yet, but he was getting there. “Are you worried about it?”</p><p>“I’m not, but he might be,” Cruz said. Time to drop the big hint. “He also just got out of a long term relationship.”</p><p>“I’m going to take a wild guess you’re not talking about Mr. Sterling,” Mr. McQueen said. “Are you?”</p><p>Cruz shook her head.</p><p>Mr. McQueen pointed at himself, eyes questioning.</p><p>“Yup,” Cruz said, nodding. She put her hands behind her back and held her hands tight together. “I was wondering if you’d like to go out to dinner with me again, Mr. McQueen. Formally. As in a date.”</p><p>Mr. McQueen didn’t say anything for a moment. He turned and leaned on the hand bar of the treadmill and crossed his arms over his chest. Mr. McQueen looked at Cruz before looking at the floor.</p><p>She let him think.</p><p>No need to rush.</p><p>(Fluffy Clouds.)</p><p>“I might be a fool,” Mr. McQueen said. Cruz pressed her lips together and put her shoulders back. She knew rejection was a possibility. Mr. McQueen rubbed his arm and looked down. “Do you mind if I think about this before I give you an answer?”</p><p>“Of course!” Cruz said, holding her hands up. “Obviously there’s no rush or anything. I’ll let you be and you can…call me. I’ll see you later.”</p><p>Her feet took her out of the gym room at a pace that could have given her race car a run for its money. She didn’t slow until she was in the parking lot and inside her car. Cruz rested her head on the steering wheel and caught her breath.</p><p>“You did it. You asked him.” Cruz felt a smile turn her lips upward. She asked him. She’d done it! “You ran away right afterwards, but that’s fine. He wanted time to think.”</p><p>She just had to wait on his answer.</p>
<hr/><p>The next day, Mr. McQueen leaned on the door of the simulator, looking at Cruz as she raced on the virtual track.</p><p>“How long have you liked me?” he asked. No judgement laced his tone, and his voice was steady and even. “If I can ask.”</p><p>“As a celebrity crush, since high school,” Cruz said. She turned a corner on the track, picking up speed as she entered the final lap. “As a person? Maybe the demolition derby is when the crush started, but I didn’t think about anything serious until you broke up with Ms. Carrera.”</p><p>“When I was available.”</p><p>“It’s hard to ask you out when you’re taken,” Cruz joked, punching the gas to cross the finish line first. The simulator announced her win and the screen filled with statistics and scores. She put her hands in her lap and turned her head to look him in the eye. “I’ve let a lot of chances pass me by in life, and I figured I shouldn’t let this one slip. You don’t get second chances every day and I’m still lucky I got this one.”</p><p>Cruz waved at the simulator and leaned back, touching her car number embroidered on the pocket of her shirt.</p><p>“Do you think this crush is some weird hero worship related to that?” Mr. McQueen asked, wincing as he said it. He covered his face and exhaled through his fingers. “That sounded bad. I’m not trying to belittle your feelings, I’m just wondering how much you’ve thought about this. I’m your Crew Chief and twice your age.”</p><p>“I know.” Cruz patted him on the arm. “I’ve probably thought about that more than you.”</p><p>“That’s a good point,” Mr. McQueen said, cracking a smile. He drummed his fingers on the side of the door and bit his lip. “So you’re serious.”</p><p>“As serious as I am at winning next year’s Piston Cup.”</p><p>Mr. McQueen whistled and rubbed the back of his neck. “So you’re very serious.”</p><p>“That goes without saying.”</p><p>“Okay,” Mr. McQueen said. He patted the side of the simulator car door before he stepped back and opened it. He held out his hand for Cruz to take and helped her down the stairs into the machine. “I can’t make a promise of a date number two, but giving it a shot won’t kill me. I’d hate to be a fool.”</p><p>“You aren’t a fool, Mr. McQueen,” Cruz said. She grinned and squeezed his hand, hopping onto the floor. “Just a little air headed once in a while.”</p><p>“I can change my mind.”</p><p>“Nope! No take backs!” Cruz said. She regretfully took her hand back and grabbed her things, freeing up the simulator for the next racer to practice. “Are you free tomorrow at six?”</p><p>“I can clear my calendar,” Mr. McQueen said. “Are you thinking formal? Casual?”</p><p>“Formal.” Cruz brought up a mental list of fine dining and which dress she wanted to wear. “Let’s have our first official date somewhere nice.”</p><p>Seeing Mr. McQueen in a suit wouldn’t hurt either.</p><p>“I’ll dress to impress.” Mr. McQueen tilted his head. He checked his watch and clicked his tongue. “But until then, you’ve got time scheduled on the outdoor track.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>Cruz smiled the entire way to the track.</p><p>Mr. McQueen might have been humoring her and there was a possibility he’d talk her out of dating him during their date, but she’d asked and he said yes.</p><p>The rest could wait.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A date has arrived and a lovely evening is about to be had. Things are moving along for our racer couple. Thank you for reading!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mr. McQueen arrived two minutes after Hamilton’s reminder alarm went off.</p><p>“You’re early,” Cruz said, opening the door. She finished putting in her second earring as Mr. McQueen grinned at her from the other side. Cruz stepped back and let him inside. “It’s only five-thirty.”</p><p>“Mater caught wind of our date and happened to tell everyone else in our circle of friends. I barely got my suit on before they swarmed with well meaning dating advice.” He held up a small bouquet of red carnations wrapped with a bright yellow ribbon and held it out. “I am much safer here.”</p><p>“I wish I had seen that.” Cruz took the flowers and tapped the top of a bud. “And grateful you managed to get dressed before you ran out the door.”</p><p>The black three-piece suit hung his frame well with a red vest that popped with his signature racer colors. If she looked close enough, she could see a gold lightning-bolt pattern that overlaid the red. It flattered his form and Cruz itched to run her fingers over the fine fabric.</p><p>“Me, too,” Mr. McQueen said. “It’d be hard to take you out to dinner in my underwear.”</p><p>Cruz covered her mouth, smiling. “I’d like to see that, too.”</p><p>“You know,” Mr. McQueen said, his tone changing the subject. “I’m here early, but you look ready to go. That dress is lovely, by the way.”</p><p>“Thank you. And you know I don’t like to cut things close,” Cruz said. She carried the flowers to the kitchen and dug a vase out from under the cabinet. Mr. McQueen followed her, looking around her small home. He’d visited once or twice picking her up or dropping her off, but never stayed long enough to see the place properly. “What if your car broke down and I had to pick you up?”</p><p>“Always prepared,” Mr. McQueen said. He smiled at a photo of Cruz and him holding their shared trophy cup. “Where are we going this evening, by the way? Or is it a surprise again?”</p><p>“I got us reservations at a Guido-Approved Italian restaurant downtown,” Cruz said. She set the vase of flowers next to the photo. “Though they aren’t expecting us until six-thirty, which means we have a little time to kill. Do you want to watch something?”</p><p>“Sure,” Mr. McQueen said. He unbuttoned his jacket and took a seat on her couch. “Have anything in mind?”</p><p>“Not really.” Cruz sat next to him, straightening out her skirt. She turned on the television with the remote and browsed the menu. “I guess the first thing we find that’s thirty minutes.”</p><p>“Fine with me.”</p><p>Cruz settled on a short documentary on songbirds. Mr. McQueen smiled at her choice, throwing his arm over the back of the sofa. It took all of Cruz’s self control not to scoot closer.</p><hr/><p>The reservation sat Cruz and Mr. McQueen in a back corner of the dim restaurant, lit mostly by candles on the tables and walls. It offered plenty of privacy and the waiters were pleasant and sparse.</p><p>“I think I’ve already told you every embarrassing and unflattering personal story I have during training and at work,” Mr. McQueen said, cutting off a piece from his cheesecake with a fork. “And if I missed anything, Mater covered it.”</p><p>“If you’re trying to scare me away, I’ve seen most of that in person,” Cruz said. She leaned forward and stole a chunk of his dessert with a spoon. “I watched you completely destroy a simulator, remember?”</p><p>“Be that as it may,” Mr. McQueen said. He shoved his leftover cake toward Cruz and crossed his arms on the table. “I’m not trying to scare you, but I am out of things to talk about.”</p><p>“You could tell me a flattering story,” Cruz said. She finished off his cheesecake and crossed her legs under the table. “You barely talk about your racing career or fun wins outside of advice.”</p><p>Mr. McQueen shook his head. “You do not want to hear me talk about myself for an hour.”</p><p>“What if I do?” Cruz asked. She tapped her fork against the empty plate. “I’m your friend, but I was a fan first. If I could read magazine articles and watch your races for years without getting bored, listening to you in person has to be at least twice as entertaining.”</p><p>“You really want to hear about all of that?” Mr. McQueen asked, glancing to the side. “Because my friends have spent years taming my ego. I’m not sure they’d forgive you for creating a resurgence.”</p><p>“Yes, I really do,” Cruz said again. She loved the softer, kinder Mr. McQueen, but she’d never forget the cocky youth that said “Ka-chow!” to the cameras like he owned the track. Humility was great, but he didn’t have to lose all of that energy. “I can promise I could easily be in the running for the title of biggest fan.”</p><p>Mr. McQueen broke out into a laugh and shook his head. “Mia and Tia would disagree.”</p><p>“Mia and Tia?”</p><p>“My biggest fans,” Mr. McQueen said, raising his eyebrows. He picked up his drink and took a sip. “They came to every single one of my races for years. They were twins, they always dressed up in my colors, and you could hear them shouting over everyone in the crowd.”</p><p>“That’s dedication.” Cruz rolled her eyes. “Did they know your racing stats, too?”</p><p>“They did,” Mr. McQueen said, pointing at Cruz across the table. “And they loved me so much, they moved to Radiator Springs and got jobs at Flo’s Cafe. They still work there last I checked, even if their obsessive-fan status has calmed as they got older.”</p><p>Cruz nodded and pulled her cup closer. “I can see how they earned that title.”</p><p>“They were also the first fans to flash me,” Mr. McQueen said, grinning into his cup. He raised his eyebrows and took a drink. “I’ve never seen so many photo flashes after their shirts went up in sync.”</p><p>“And you liked that, huh?”</p><p>“It’s in my best interest not to answer that,” Mr. McQueen said, still smiling bright enough to show off the wrinkles around his eyes. “Don’t you think?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Cruz said. She rested her chin on the back of her fingers and bit her lip. “I’m competitive, Mr. McQueen. If I want to overthrow the twins to be your biggest fan, it might help to know.”</p><p>“It might be a little soon for something like that.” Mr. McQueen covered his mouth to hide the snort. He wiped the corner of his eye and leaned back into his seat. “So for now, let’s keep your shirt on and talk about something less embarrassing.”</p><p>Cruz counted that as a win.</p><p>“Tell me about your favorite win as a rookie,” Cruz said. “Before you discovered Radiator Springs.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s a tough one,” Mr. McQueen said. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, humming under his breath. “It’d have to be my third one.”</p><p>He spent the rest of the evening, smiling and laughing as he talked about his rookie days. Cruz listened the entire time, matching up each story with a race she’d watched.</p><p>The evening disappeared under good conversation and Mr. McQueen stole the check with a cheeky grin.</p><hr/><p>“Did you want to come inside?” Cruz asked, lingering in her doorway. She held her purse near her waist and turned on the light. “We could share one more drink?”</p><p>Cruz wouldn’t mind more, either, if he was so inclined.</p><p>“Tonight was a lovely evening, Cruz,” Mr. McQueen said. He ran his hand through his hair and stayed on her porch. “But it might be best if it ends here.”</p><p>“For just tonight?” Cruz asked. She set her purse on the side table next to the door and patted her skirt. “What are my odds for a date number two?”</p><p>“Good,” Mr. McQueen said. He licked his lip, looking Cruz over in a way that gave her hope. “But as much as we both like to go fast, this might be something best taken slow.”</p><p>“I understand.” Cruz patted her doorframe and nodded. “There’s a lot on the line if it doesn’t work.”</p><p>She didn’t particularly want to hunt for a new Crew Chief and the thought of Mr. McQueen working for another racer made her chest hurt.</p><p>“I’ll see you tomorrow, Cruz,” Mr. McQueen said. He walked backwards toward his waiting car and held a hand up to wave. “Dates are fun, but you’ve got training to do.”</p><p>“Yes, sir, Mr. McQueen.”</p><p>Cruz crossed her arms and leaned on the doorway, watching him leave. After he got into the car, she closed the door and peeked at him through the blinds on her window. Mr. McQueen rested his head on the steering wheel of his car for a full two minutes before the engine started and he drove off.</p><p>“I’m looking forward to date number two.”</p><p>She hoped he was, too.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The hardest part about writing this story is I want it to be short, but I also don’t want to rush the relationship. So I end up getting stuck &amp; more time passes between updates than I’d like. But I really needed some fluff &amp; this pairing gives me that. :D</p><p>Random fun fact: The second Cars movie not only made me like Mater, but made me ship Mater &amp; McQueen. Why bring that up? Because they are good buddies and Mater decided he was the real kick my Muse needed to get the next chapter written, no matter how much I needed the fluff. The chapter even turned out much longer than I planned!</p><p>Thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Cruz!” Mr. McQueen greeted from the treadmill. He continued his brisk pace, sweat dripping down the side of his face. “Finished already?”</p><p>“Jackson had to leave. He forgot about a dentist appointment and had to split before we finished laps,” Cruz said. She dropped her gear bag on the floor and leaned on the arm handles of the treadmill. “I figured I might as well call it a day, too. It’s not like my Crew Chief was out there watching.”</p><p>“Your Crew Chief doesn’t need to babysit a couple of racers competing on their own,” Mr. McQueen said, breathing hard as he kept running. “Were you winning when Jackson had his dentist emergency, by the way?”</p><p>Cruz snorted and put her hand in her cheek. “As much as I’d love to say he ducked out before he could lose, Jackson did have the faster time when we stopped. He was ahead by about thirty seconds.”</p><p>“So are you here instead of finishing up your practice laps because you need your wonderful Crew Chief to tell you how to trim down those thirty seconds?”</p><p>“I’m here because I wanted to know if my wonderful Crew Chief wanted to grab lunch.”</p><p>“Keeping fueled is a good way to make sure you maintain your focus,” Mr. McQueen said. He hopped off the treadmill track and turned it off while grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat off his face. “Where were you thinking?”</p><p>“Burgers,” Cruz said. “So I can steal your fries.”</p><p>“You could order your own fries,” Mr. McQueen said. He grabbed his things and started for the locker room to change. “Just a thought.”</p><p>“What fun is that?”</p><p>Mr. McQueen rolled his eyes and told her he’d be out in ten minutes.</p><p>Cruz couldn’t stop the grin when he ordered a large fry later during their second “official” date.</p><hr/><p>“Hey, Cruz! Over here!”</p><p>At the call of her name, Cruz looked up from her car and saw Mater waving at her from his rusting tow truck. She shut her door and walked over to the smiling man.</p><p>“Hello, Mater,” Cruz said. She shifted her tote bag on her shoulder, and tapped her toe on the ground. Cruz wanted to go over her stats for the day at home curled up with a cup of coffee, but it wouldn’t hurt to say hello to Mr. McQueen’s best friend before she headed out. “Here to see Mr. McQueen?”</p><p>“No,” Mater said. He smacked the side of his truck and nodded. “You, actually!”</p><p>“What about?” Cruz asked. She had seen Mater from time to time when he came to visit Mr. MrQueen, but she couldn’t recall if they’d had a conversation alone before. “Did you need something?”</p><p>Maybe he wanted to plan a surprise for Mr. McQueen—did he have a birthday coming up?</p><p>It couldn’t have been a racing anniversary, because Cruz already knew the dates for all of those.</p><p>“I was hoping to have a talk with you,” Mater said. “If that’s okay.”</p><p>“Sure,” Cruz said. “Here, or did you want to go somewhere?”</p><p>“There’s a small diner downtown if you want to go there.” Mater opened his truck door, drumming his fingers along the metal. He glanced at the training center doors before nodding at his car wheel. “I’ll lead the way!”</p><p>Cruz returned to her car as his engine started and followed him out of the parking lot. They drove for a few minutes before pulling into a small diner parking lot. Mater parked next to a sporty, purple car that made Cruz whistle. There was a small dent in the side that needed fixed, but otherwise the car looked immaculate.</p><p>“This way,” Mater said, drawing her attention away from the sports car. “You’ll love the food here.”</p><p>Cruz followed him inside and they sat together at a table. Mater shifted back and forth for a second, eyes darting around the diner. Cruz didn’t think she had to worry about the other man, but she held her phone in her lap all the same.</p><p>“What did you want to talk about, Mater?” Cruz asked after they ordered a quick meal from the waitress. “Is something the matter?”</p><p>“I wanted to talk to you about McQueen,” Mater said, crossing his arms. “On account of the fact you two are dating now.”</p><p>Cruz bit her lip—was Mater doing what she thought he was doing? That was sort of cute. “What about it?”</p><p>“I just want to make sure things are on the up-and-up,” Mater said. He nodded twice to himself before pulling off his cap and putting it on the seat next to him. “Starting with a few easy questions.”</p><p>Mater was interrogating her to see if she was good enough for Mr. McQueen.</p><p>That was adorable—though she did feel a pinch offended he felt he needed to. Cruz hadn’t know Mr. McQueen as long as Mater had known him, but she wasn’t a threat to him.</p><p>“Sure, Mater.” Cruz took a sip from her drink. “Ask away.”</p><p>“First question!” Mater pointed at her and narrowed his eyes. “Why do you still call him ‘Mr. McQueen’ when you two are getting all close like?”</p><p>Cruz could play that game.</p><p>“Why do you still call him ‘McQueen’ when you two have been best friends for years?”</p><p>Mater’s eyes widened and he bit his lip. His face dropped and he turned to the side, puling up his collar. He whispered into it, “Back up! I think I need back up.”</p><p>“You do not need back up,” a woman’s voice said from behind Cruz. She turned to see a lovely, older woman in a purple suit. She walked around the table and took a seat next to Mater, kissing him on the cheek. “But I’ll let you have it, anyway.”</p><p>Cruz looked between the well dressed woman and Mater before clearing her throat. “May I ask who you are?”</p><p>“I’m Holley,” the woman said, reaching across the table to shake. Cruz took her hand and she smiled, “Mater’s girlfriend.”</p><p>Mater had a girlfriend.</p><p>In all her interactions with Mr. McQueen and Mater, neither had ever brought that up.</p><p>“How wonderful,” Cruz said, channeling her inner professional voice. “How long have you two been dating?”</p><p>“Quite a few years now,” Holley said, smiling. “Work keeps me busy, though. So we don’t see each other as much as I’d like.”</p><p>Cruz nodded, though still felt a twist of confusion—why was she here?</p><p>“Mater, would you mind getting my purse out of my car?” Holley said. She held up her key and shrugged. “I forgot it when I came in.”</p><p>“Sure thing!”</p><p>Mater got up and left the table, trotting out of the diner.</p><p>“I apologize for Mater,” Holley said, leaning over the table and whispering. “He’s just worried about his friend. I told him your background checked out, but he wanted to double check himself.”</p><p>“My background?”</p><p>“Let’s just say my work gives me access to things most people don’t,” Holley said, winking. “Mater asked for a favor and I gave your records a glance. You passed with flying colors by the way.”</p><p>“That’s comforting,” Cruz said, shifting in her seat. She wanted to ask what Holley did for a living, but decided she might be better off not knowing. “I’m glad Mr. McQueen has good friends looking out for him.”</p><p>“He does,” Holley said, her eyes on the glass. “And let’s just say I’m very glad Mr. McQueen doesn’t seem interested in men, or I might have some competition for Mater’s affection!”</p><p>Holley laughed and sipped her drink. “But seriously, I wanted to let you know what was going on before he came back and continued the interrogation.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Cruz said. She liked Holley, and Mater was an important part of Mr. McQueen’s life—so it’d be good to get along. “We should double date sometime.”</p><p>“I’d like that!” Holley said, clapping her hands together. Her shoulders relaxed and she smiled when Mater entered the diner again with a small silver purse in his hand. “Thank you, Mater.”</p><p>“Anything for you, Holley!”</p><p>Mater plopped into the seat beside Holley they bumped their shoulders together with an intimate, practiced gesture that made Cruz smile. At first glance, they looked as opposite as could be, but they way they fit together and interacted gave evidence to the claim they’d been together for years.</p><p>Cruz wondered if she and Mr. McQueen looked that way to outsiders when they were out together.</p><p>“Okay, back to the questions,” Mater said. He rubbed his hands together and slapped them down on his lap. “Are you in this for the long haul or just for fun? McQueen doesn’t look like it, but he’s the sensitive type and he doesn’t do anything halfway.”</p><p>Cruz accepted her plate of food from the waitress as she considered her answer. Mater looked at her with large, concerned eyes and Holley rubbed his arm.</p><p>Honesty would be best.</p><p>“I would appreciate if the relationship was long-term,” Cruz said, “but if Mr. McQueen is more interested in a short-term fling, I’ll take what I can get.”</p><p>“McQueen doesn’t really do flings,” Mater said. He frowned and slumped in his chair. “And he’s awfully good at hiding how he feels sometimes.”</p><p>“Is he?” Cruz asked. He’d always seemed so expressive around her—showing his anger and frustrations. His joy. Both his smiles and gritted teeth. Mr. McQueen had always struck her as a “Wears his heart on his sleeve” sort of guy. “I hadn’t gotten that impression.”</p><p>“Because he’s really, really good at it,” Mater said, leaning over and whispering. “I shouldn’t tell you this, but I don’t want him to get hurt again—you’d never know just talking to him, but he was awfully upset when Ms. Sally and him broke up.”</p><p>Cruz stirred a fry in the cup of ketchup. “I thought their breakup was mutual? Aren’t they still friends?”</p><p>“They’re still friends, yeah, but it wasn’t mutual,” Mater said. Holley reached over and patted the back of his hand as he huffed. Mater lowered his voice and whispered, like he was sharing the biggest secret in the universe. “Ms. Sally dumped him.”</p><p>“Oh.” Cruz put her hands in her lap. “I never would have guessed.”</p><p>“He was real broke up about it in private.” Mater nodded and licked his lip. “She ripped his heart out, but he didn’t want anyone to know so they wouldn’t give her a hard time—he said he didn’t blame her none and all that.”</p><p>Cruz bit her lip. “Did he tell you why?”</p><p>Mater shook his head. “No, and Ms. Sally didn’t say anything about it either.”</p><p>“You might have to speak with Sally if you want to know why,” Holley added, stealing a fry from Mater’s plate. She popped it in her mouth and lowered her shoulders. “I can give you her address if you’d like to visit and find out.”</p><p>“Yes,” Cruz said. “I think I’d like that.”</p><p>Holley handed over a napkin with a phone number and an address and gathered her things. She kissed Mater on the side of the cheek and left with a promise she’d call him later.</p><p>“Thank you for the chat, Mater,” Cruz said, standing up. “And believe me, hurting Mr. McQueen is the last thing I’d want to do—so we happen to share that concern.”</p><p>“Good,” Mater said, standing up. He held his hand out to shake on it and Cruz took his hand. “I’m glad we’re on the same page, then.”</p><p>“Me, too.”</p><p>Cruz said her own goodbyes and sat in her car for twenty minutes thinking before she dialed Ms. Sally Carrera to see if she was available for a chat.</p><hr/><p>“I suspected we’d have a chat sooner or later,” Ms. Carrera said, taking a sip from a cup of coffee as they sat at her kitchen table. Cruz took a personal day off from work to make the drive out to Radiator Springs, glad that Ms. Carrera had agreed to talk. “Though this is sooner than I expected.”</p><p>“Mater encouraged it,” Cruz said. She cupped her hands around her own mug of coffee and tapped her fingers. “Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”</p><p>“You can relax you know,” Ms. Carrera said. “I’m not that scary, no matter what Stickers might say about me.”</p><p>“He has never called you scary.”</p><p>Ms. Carrera laughed and shook her head. “He wouldn’t.”</p><p>Cruz sipped her coffee and set the mug down on the table. How did one start an awkward conversation like “I’m dating your ex and want to know why you broke up?”</p><p>“We can cut straight to the chase if you like,” Ms. Carrera said. “Mater gave me a heads up about your call, too.”</p><p>Straight-forward—Cruz liked that, and it did fit her career. It wouldn’t be good to forget that Ms. Carrera was a lawyer.</p><p>“Why did you break up with Mr. McQueen?” Cruz tapped her fingers along the warm mug. “It’s hard to imagine, considering I was pretty sure you two were on track for getting married.”</p><p>“I thought we were,” Ms. Carrera said, her shoulders dropping. “And he did, too—which is what made it all so much harder.”</p><p>Cruz stayed quiet when it became clear Ms. Carrera was gathering her thoughts to continue.</p><p>“Stickers loves racing,” Ms. Carrera said. She put her cup down and crossed her arms on the table, looking out her window. “More than anything in the world. I always admired that passion he had—even through all of his ego and hotheadedness, that was a trait that shined through it all. He genuinely and sincerely loved racing, win or lose.”</p><p>It was a trait Cruz admired as well. She could close her eyes and see a young Mr. McQueen tearing around a track and the look of sheer excitement and glee on his face after each race.</p><p>“When we started dating, it was a passion I was proud to support,” Ms. Carrera said. “I wanted to support his dreams and be there for him. I liked hearing about his races, just like he enjoyed hearing about what information I could share for my cases. It was good and we balanced each other well—for a while, anyway.”</p><p>Cruz squeezed her cup.</p><p>“When Stickers started to lose races, it didn’t get him down. He wanted to stay in the game and keep going. Stickers loved racing and I supported him, even though I started to play with the thought that he should retire like his peers,” Ms. Carrera said. “But I kept it to myself. I didn’t want to be like everyone else telling him the same thing—until he crashed.”</p><p>“Crashes are a part of racing. They happen. I’ve seen them on the track before and I knew about them.” Ms. Carrera’s shoulders fell. “But all the same, I’ve never been so terrified in my life. I’d…he’d never crashed like that before. It was different when it was my loved one in the crunched metal and lying in the hospital bed for months.</p><p>“I really thought that would be it,” Ms. Carrera continued. “I thought that would be the moment he quit and retired, but he didn’t. He wanted to get back out there and all I could do was support him the best I was able.”</p><p>“But you didn’t want to,” Cruz guessed. Ms. Carrera nodded and Cruz sucked in a breath. “But right after a crash isn’t the time to tell him that—especially with not what happened to Doc.”</p><p>“I think telling him to stop racing would have hurt him more than dumping him,” Ms. Carrera said. “Though it’s not entirely accurate to say that’s the moment I started to think we weren’t going to work long term.”</p><p>“When was?”</p><p>“After he became your Crew Chief,” Ms. Carrera said. She smiled and sipped from her mug. “That’s when I realized—really, really realized—that he was never going to give up racing entirely. He said he had retired, but seeing him light up as he talked about you on the track and making sure to keep up his own training on the lowdown, it hit me one day he wasn’t going to be satisfied with being a Crew Chief.”</p><p>Ms. Carrera shook her head and sucked in a breath.</p><p>“He was going to get back out there and race again, no matter how old he was. Maybe not as a pro, but he would do it.” Ms. Carrera took a large gulp of coffee and threw her head back before putting the mug on the table with a firm click. “I had nightmares of him sneaking out to underground dirt track races and crashing again, and that’s when I realized I couldn’t support him anymore. I wanted him to stop racing and settle down at home, and it hit me that things weren’t going to work.</p><p>“Lightning needs someone who can support him,” Ms. Carrera said. She rubbed her upper arm and exhaled. “I wanted to end the relationship before it became a point of contention between us. I didn’t want to fight over it and I think deep down, he didn’t want to worry me either—which is why he didn’t fight it when I broke up with him.”</p><p>“Did you tell him why you were breaking up?” Cruz asked, not knowing which answer would be worse. “I mean, did he know?”</p><p>“I didn’t have the heart to tell him it was his love of racing that meant it wouldn’t work between us.” Ms. Carrera got up from the table and gathered their empty mugs, sitting them in the sink. “Because knowing Stickers, he would have given up racing to keep us together. I couldn’t do that to him—he loves racing too much, and I didn’t want to make him miserable to salvage a relationship.”</p><p>“So what did you tell him?”</p><p>“The truth without the details,” Ms. Carrera said. “I didn’t love him like I used to, and I didn’t think it was fair to keep us together when I felt that way.”</p><p>Cruz didn’t know how to respond—it was a fair choice, though she imagined that still must have hurt.</p><p>“You know, Stickers asked my opinion on what to do when you asked him out,” Ms. Carrera said, standing at the sink and changing the subject out of the blue. She looked out the window with a crooked smile. “It was sort of cute seeing him so panicked.”</p><p>“What’d you tell him?”</p><p>“He should go for it.” Ms. Carrera turned and leaned on the the counter. Her smile brought out the wrinkles around her eyes in a beautiful way. “You’d think I’d be jealous that he was interested in a younger, hotter model—but the truth is, you’re the first person I’ve met that loves racing as much as he does. I thought you might be exactly what he needs.”</p><p>“I hope so,” Cruz admitted. She put her chin in her hands and smiled back at Ms. Carrera. “His love of racing is why I fell so hard for him in the first place!”</p><p>“There you go,” Ms. Carrera said. “Mater’s got nothing to worry about when it comes to you and Stickers. And you don’t need it, but you’ve got my blessing, too.”</p><p>“I’ll take it,” Cruz said. She stood up and stretched her arms over her head. “But enough about Mr. McQueen—I want a tour of Radiator Springs. Mr. McQueen is always talking about it and I want to surprise him with how much I know if he ever invites me over.”</p><p>“I would be glad to give you a tour,” Ms. Carrera said. “Though I wouldn’t mention you’re dating Stickers when we’re at Flo’s diner. Tia and Mia have been plotting ways to steal Stickers’ heart since we broke up, and they might not appreciate you beat them to it.”</p><p>“Oh, them I have to meet!” Cruz put her hand on her chest and straightened her shoulders. “They’re competing for the title of biggest fan and I have no intention of losing that title.”</p><p>Ms. Carrera put her hand on Cruz’s shoulder and squeezed. “You may be dating Stickers, but Tia and Mia are never going to give up the title of being Lightning McQueen’s biggest fans.”</p><p>“Challenge accepted.”</p><p>Cruz and Ms. Carrera burst into shared laughter before they left the small motel and headed out into town.</p><hr/><p>“Hamilton,” Cruz said, propping her feet up on the coffee table, “Add an appointment with Ms. Carrera in Radiator Springs in two months.”</p><p>Her visit with Ms. Carrera had been nice, but she couldn’t afford to keep taking off work to drive all the way out there more often than that—there was a reason Mr. McQueen had only been out there in the off season.</p><p>Just as she sunk into her couch, ready to pass out right then and there—her doorbell rang.</p><p>Cruz pulled herself off the seat and went to the door. She stood on her tiptoe to see a familiar red jacket through the peep hole. Cruz ran her finger through her hair before opening the door and revealing Mr. McQueen with a small bouquet of flowers.</p><p>“It has been brought to my attention that you have been interrogated by Mater, had your background checked by his girlfriend, and had a long chat with Sally about our breakup,” Mr. McQueen started, holding the flowers closer to Cruz. “I was instructed by Ms. Sally to bring you flowers and to make sure I told you she told me to do it.”</p><p>Cruz snorted and took the flowers. “Do you always do what your ex tells you, Mr. McQueen?”</p><p>“Not always,” he said, tilting his head to the side. Mr. McQueen licked his lip and shrugged before putting his hands in his pockets. “But Sally’s usually right about this sort of thing, so I figured—what the heck?”</p><p>“The flowers are nice, but I would have been happy to see you with or without them.” Cruz took a step back, holding the flowers close to her chest. “Would you like to come inside, Mr. McQueen?”</p><p>“Don’t mind if I do,” Mr. McQueen said, his shoulders relaxing. He took a step inside and rubbed the back of his hair. “What are the chances you’ll tell me what Mater, Holley, and Sally said?”</p><p>“Very low,” Cruz admitted. “But I’m sure we’ll find something to talk about that’s more interesting.”</p><p>“You think?”</p><p>Cruz felt a wave of boldness and tugged Mr. McQueen down by the side of his jacket to drop a kiss on his cheek. “I know it.”</p><p>“I can’t argue with that,” Mr. McQueen said. Cruz took his hand and led him over to the couch, gently pushing him to take a seat. “What do you want to talk about?”</p><p>“How I beat Tia and Mia in a Lightning McQueen trivia contest,” Cruz said, taking a seat next to him. Their thighs touched and she was pleased to note he didn’t scoot away. “Because I have officially stolen their title as your biggest fan.”</p><p>“No,” Mr. McQueen said. He laughed and shook his head. “You didn’t.”</p><p>“I did.”</p><p>“Okay, that I have to hear—what piece of trivia did they miss?”</p><p>Cruz was happy to inform him, and was happier when the conversation turned into watching a movie and falling asleep together on the couch.</p>
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